The Desert Defenders
The Desert Defenders were an elite corp of warriors sworn to a domain known as The Desert of Mystery. Formation As the Desert of Mystery was made up of the more dedicated warriors of the previous two domains, it took a much harder stance against enemies such as The Labyrinth. Having no tolerance for the Labyrinth's existence, and rightfully assuming that the young domain would come under attack, an elite team of warriors was created to deal with the Desert's toughest foes. Most initial members were seasoned knights of The Hall of Heroes. Soldiers within the team were the ones to come up with the name "Desert Defenders." The name stuck for both civilians, who looked to the team as a sign of hope, and their leaders, who relied upon them for their exceptional skill. As the likelihood of all-out war increased between the Labyrinth and the Desert, the Defenders began to train a new generation of warriors for their elite team. Service History The Desert Defenders existed between the years 537 BDW '''and '''11 BDW, when the domain was finally conquered by The Legends Alliance. This makes the Defenders one of the longest lived units in known history, as they were always active and never had a major restructuring. They have a wonderful combat record and many famous military exploits. The Defenders began as a borderland defense team. They repulsed Labyrinth invaders and conducted small skirmishes near the edge of their territory. During this time, the Defenders studied the movement and tactics of their enemies. The senior warriors of the team were able to detect certain patterns in the otherwise chaotic behavior of the Labyrinth troops. This would allow them to make predictions about their potential attacks in a proper battle. The chance to put their knowledge to use came in the year 514 BDW. Fearing an imminent invasion, the Desert ordered the Defenders to launch a pre-emptive strike on the enemy. Having located many of the nearby Labyrinth tunnels, the Defenders snuck over the border and destroyed the majority of the tunnel entrances in one swift operation. This would limit Labyrinth movement and prevent future surprise attacks. The Defenders then began to seize Labyrinth territory, and it was only the unexpected return of Selena Nadir from the north that put a stop to Desert aggression. In 512 BDW, the Desert was facing all of Selena's wrath. She seized many northern cities, but, lacking supplies, she was forced to withdraw her forces. The war against the Labyrinth then went on a hiatus. The Desert's new enemy became The Chamber of Sages and the nation of Roslen. In the year 509 BDW, Roslen, supported by Sage mercenaries, attempted to establish a southern trade route to Lanasach - a large segment of which ran through Desert territory. Seeing this as an invasion, troops were sent in to seize the intruding caravans. The Desert warriors met a terrible end at the hands of the lethal Sages. The Defenders were called in to analyze the new opponent and develop a strategy to best them in battle. The Defenders did not attempt any frontal assaults against the Sages, instead relying on nighttime stealth missions to quietly eliminate the mages one by one. They made note of which Sages had mastered which form of magic and attacked using an appropriate team of warriors. The war was concluded in the year 501 BDW, when Roslen decided it had lost enough troops to the Defenders and their allies. Over the next century, the Defenders would be used in the Desert's eastward expansion. They would have a major role in defeating the ancient Kingdom of Ikana and would assault the westward boundaries of Lanasach. The Defenders did not have a single defeat during this period. In the year 450 BDW, the Defenders were ordered back to the western end of their domain. Selena Nadir had returned with a new army and was laying waste to Desert forces. By the time the main Defender force returned, Selena had already seized the Desert Oasis, the capital of the domain. She occupied the capital for many months. The Defenders waited patiently until she ran low on supplies, then took the city back street-by-street. The counter-assault destroyed most of the capital, but they were successful in forcing Selena to return to the Labyrinth. The Defenders would continue to be used against both the Labyrinth and Lanasach for many years. The last major Defender victory was when several warriors infiltrated the Labyrinth and poisoned their water supply. Over a thousand Labyrinth warriors died, and it was this poisioning that is indirectly blamed for the Labyrinth's defeat at the hands of the Alliance. The Defenders were used as a last line of defense against Khuffie and the Alliance. Unwilling to surrender, nearly all the Defenders were killed in battle. Only a few survived to see the new age of domains. Legacy The Defenders were one of the most famous 'elite' units in history. Most domains incorporated some kind of signature special forces unit after the Defenders proved their worth. The Defenders are featured in many well known songs and stories around Verden. The Legends Alliance attempted to win over the survivors of the unit, but most of the Defenders joined the rebel domains - Ikana Canyon, The Forsaken Fortress, and The Lost Woods. They helped train new warriors to fight against the Alliance, using many of their old tactics in a new era of warfare. Category:History: Organisations